Every year around the holidays consumers flock to stores and online to get the hottest items for the gift giving season. As evidenced by last year’s holiday retail sales, which grew 3.8% in the United States, according to Exploding Topics, Americans love to get the most popular presents and will spare no expense to do so. But are these purchases worth the money?
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GOBankingRates has a round up of five trending items consumers may be buying this holiday season and a few thoughts on if they are worth the money.
Not Worth Buying
Luxury-Branded Logo Accessories
If you have had your eye on a Louis Vuitton or YSL handbag, you might want to keep it in the window shopping category of your holiday buys. That’s because oftentimes what you are buying with these high-end bags, purses and other accessories are simply the name brand recognition, not exactly quality across the board.
Albert Varkki, retail and shopping expert and co-founder of luxury leather goods brand Von Baer, shared insight when it comes to luxury-branded logo accessories. “The leather is often cheap, made in China, which does not justify the price or the utility of the product,” he said.
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Single-Use Electronics
Otherwise known as low-quality “smart” devices are tech that tends to be used once, then either breaks down or becomes obsolete. Varkki shared that an example of this kind of tech is an expensive AR/VR headsets which usually feels old by the time New Year’s rolls around.
Varkki explained that consumers should skip buying any tech which looks like a product that will be outdated and could actually be cheaper to buy in a couple of months if you decide to eventually get it.
Worth Buying
LED Desk Lamps
A functional, long-lasting LED desk lamp that offers adjustable lighting levels and color temperature will offer you a genuine function as you adapt to various activities and work in many settings, according to Šarūnas Bružas, the executive officer at Desktronic.
“This type of product will remain useful for years to come and assist with your productivity,” Bružas said.
Premium Lounge-Wear Sets
When it comes to top of the line lounge-wear sets, especially those made of cashmere or silk blends, you can rest assured that they are actually worth spending the money on to feel fancy and relaxed at the same time.
“Buy the lounge set because it reflects a lasting consumer shift toward comfort and wellness,” Varkki added. “If the fabric is high-grade, it is a gift that will be used and appreciated for years.”
Ergonomic Furniture
Another thing to consider spending your holiday money on, in Bružas’ opinion, is an ergonomic office chair.
“Unlike cheap or novelty seating furniture, an ergonomic chair promotes good posture and reduces back and neck strain and will be used every single day for years,” Bružas added, noting that this type of furniture can accommodate various body types and work setups, making it a long-term investment in comfort and productivity.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Trending Items Consumers May Be Buying This Holiday Season — but Are They Worth the Money?
